5 great reasons why you should NOT have live chat on your site
Live chat is totally hot. Customers generally find it pleasant, companies find it convenient; it really benefits everyone. But not everyone is completely fond of the idea that it is possible to immediately solve problems, receive information, or have questions answered.
Why is live chat becoming even more popular? It’s all about the directness it offers. Direct answers to direct questions that allows people to do their thing and not hang around.
Approximately 42% of people point to live chat as their favorite communication channel. This number is slightly lower in Europe, but it does increase every year.
So from a business perspective, you can either consider the glass half full or – if your name is Negative Nancy – half empty.
Is it:
- ‘One in four of all website visitors wants live chat, so I should offer it’
or could it be:
- ‘Nearly 75% of my customers would rather communicate in different ways, so there is no need for live chat’?
As the owner of your business, only you can decide. So for those who tend to see the glass half empty, we thought we might be able to help you by sharing ‘five great reasons why you should not have live chat on your site’.
- Our company is doing fine, so why should we bother with live chat
Poor Negative Nancy, it’s all a bit of a hassle. More technology, more costs, she simply doesn’t understand. Why should anyone bother, life is fine the way it is. The online conversion rates are stable and even growing a bit. What does it matter if there are slightly fewer repeat sales; enough new customers are coming in. Our competitors are experimenting with live chat; let them do it and see what happens. - Negative Nancy heard it can be a negative experience for customers
Absolutely true. Just like anything else, if it is done in a half-hearted way (even with the best intentions) and it fails, it will annoy and scare off customers. Too many of those annoying little pop-ups that offer help, slow response times, or chat operators who do not know the answer. Maybe she will try it out, when there’s some time, but is it truly necessary? As I said, if it is done in a half-hearted way… - Most people do not want it
Maybe that’s true. Negative Nancy is happy to serve only three out of four customers, and they spend enough. Why worry about the other 25%? There is plenty of business, and if those other people aren’t happy, they can go elsewhere. - People will waste my time by asking stupid questions
Yes, Negative Nancy, they could ask questions, and you could think they are stupid. After all, the answers can usually be found in the FAQ. If you do not think it is necessary to help them, that’s fine. They will either figure things out themselves, or they will go to the nearest competitor that does offer them decent customer service. - The claims about the success of live chat are pure hogwash
Negative Nancy always has trouble with good news. There must be a catch. How can someone achieve 25% conversion in their Shopify web shop? They must be exaggerating. Why would the average order value increase by 10%? If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Just cover your ears and scream loudly to tune out the sounds of all the success stories.
NOTE: Negative Nancy is set to keep complaining until she goes bankrupt, and then she will complain some more. While this article is intended to be a bit ironic, the message is serious. Companies which innovate and disturb the market are the ones that flourish online. Live chat is such an innovation. It is the bridge between the digital world and the real world. It results in satisfied customers and brand loyalty, as well as providing a competitive advantage. The greatest advocates of live chat (apart from us, of course!) are the companies that have invested in delivering an excellent live chat experience.
Oh yes, and I should mention that Outsourcechats.com can do all that for you. I mean great live chat,24/7, 365 days a year. Contact us to discover how we can help you.
